Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-05-26
Mrs, Shoddy. of Boston.

~Ss NAASSNJt ~ &~Sot016
A Mrs. Shoddy, of Boston, for even
in Boston specimens of this kind exist
was discoursing the other evening
upon the sale of the Stewart picture.
in New York, writes a correspondent,
OF The Providence Journal.
81 thought of gong on" she said
ito buy some Of the paintings, but
really have more pictures than l know
what to do with. Of course there
were fine things in the Stewart sale,
but my own paintings, may say, are
are really metricious--at least Dough,
them rs such-and SO / concluded no,
to compete with New York collectors. d"
The dear old dowager would be as.
tonished if she knew how true her re.
mark was, little as she understood the
true significance of her epithet. A
good story is told of the way in which
she bought some of her "metricious"
pictures. Several years ago she went
abroad and took with her specimen
: of the paper of her drawing.room, in
order that she might buy pictures to
harmonlze-or, as she said, to match.
An American artist in. Paris wrote
home an account of her visit to the
studio to French artist of distinction.
The lady arrived one morning by APP
pointment, armed with her specimen
of wall paper and stated that the arch
itect OF her house had told her
to purcha Sc picture of given size for
a certain space in her drawing-room.
The artist had no pictures of these d-
mansions, but he was clever enough to
understand the sort of woman he was
dealing with and INSCRIPTIONS enough
to take advantage of her.
"This canvas" he said, showing her
a painting he wished to sell, isn't the
same measure you want, because we
have the metric system in France, and
of course that is different; but it is that
measure translated into our system.
1t is the nearest thing you can get in
this country"
The picture was half as large again
rs she had asked for, but she received
this explanation in perfect good faith,
and proceeded to investigate the har.
mony of paper and p cture. The oblig-
ing painter arranged the wallpaper
behind the canvas, and walked away
and clasped his hands in admiration.
"Ah, madame" he said with a DIR a.
matte sigh, you Americans are such
a nation! have searched Paris for q
proper background for this picture and
have not been able to find it; and here
you bring me precisely the color of
which | have dreamed. If | &pd that
paper / would not sell you the p>sture
at all, but now you must have it if
give it to your'
And he did give it to her-in ex-
change for $1,000.
At another studio she was less sue
cessful. She had been told whose pic
lures she ought to buy, and applied
boldly to the leading painters of Paris.
The second artist whom she saw, how.
ever treated her with what she feeling
ly describes rs outrageous brutality. |
When she produced her specimens OF
Of wallpaper, the old man brusquely
interrupted her setting forth of her
wishes.
at is of no use, madam he sal
with great affectation. of regret and
81 never sell ri cture
On so slight grounds as mere harmony
with the paper hanging. So much de-
bends upon the light that never risk
my reputation without examining the
'oom in which the painting is to hang.
Did you bring your house with YOU?
Il you didn't, fear it is impossible for
rs to come to an arrangement.
OF course one could not b. sure o.
he truth of these stories unless he had
made them up but they certainly have
he appearance OF being too absurd not
o nave some grains of verify in them.